Turkey's most powerful president since Ataturk: A profile of Recep Tayyip Erdogan

He is the country's first elected president who has been at the forefront of
Turkish politics for more than a decade. Raziye Akkoc takes a look at
his humble beginnings as the former AKP leader prepares for June's general
election

Recep Tayyip Erdogan riding a bicycle based on a model used by a world biking champion, during the launch of the 51st Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey in Istanbul, on April 18, 2015Photo: AFP/TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFICE/KAYHAN OZER

It would not be an exaggeration to say Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is currently one of the world's most charismatic leaders. Any conversation about Turkey always includes a reference to Mr Erdoğan - such is the growing cult of personality - and in a country which reveres great leaders, i.e. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, it is not surprising either.

The 61-year-old Turkish president has taken Turkey forward economically, politically to an extent, and severed the power of the army within politics. It is not hyperbolic to say the military wielded too much power in Turkish politics.

Although critics believe that has changed recently, there were concerns relating to Mr Erdogan's Islamism long before the Gezi protests.

Mr Erdoğan is a polarising figure. For many, especially in the more conservative heartlands of Anatolia, he has brought better healthcare, given less secular Turks more representation and brought much needed improvement to infrastructure.

There is an argument that the Turkish economy was always on course to improve but to many in Turkey, the country's current status is thanks to Mr Erdoğan. This may perhaps change as the lira's value against the dollar continues to decline.

Not since Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey, has a figure dominated Turkish politics for so long. Now there is a growing atmosphere Turkish citizens cannot insult their leader - recently, Mr Erdoğan's critics and opponents are dealt with harshly.

But what do we know about the man who is seeking a majority to change the constitution to give the presidency greater powers?

It can be hard to walk a few seconds in Turkey without seeing a portrait of Ataturk - such is the passion for the founder of the modern republic (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

From Rize to Istanbul, from football to politics

Mr Erdoğan was born on February 26, 1954 in Kasımpaşa, butspent part of his childhood in Rize, a city on Turkey's Black Sea coast in the north-east. Before he was born, his family had previously migrated from Batumi, Georgia.

The president's father had been a coastguard in Rize until the family decided to return to Istanbul.

Mr Erdoğan sold lemonade and sesame buns, referred to as "simit" in Turkey, to contribute money to his family.

He was involved in politics from a young age and according to his website, he was part of the National Turkish Students’ Association during his high school years and while he was at Marmara University.

In 1978, he marriedEmine Gulbaranwith whom he has two daughters, Esra and Sümeyye; and two sons, Necmettin Bilal and Ahmet Burak.

According to Arda Baykal in a House of Commons Library report, his "political career started when he was elected president of the Beyoğlu Youth Branch of the National Salvation Party (MSP—Milli Selamet Partisi), an Islamist political party in 1970s that was closed down after the 1980 military coup".

During that coup, the president worked as an accountant and as a manager in the private sector.

He graduated from the university with a degree in business administration in 1981.

Three years after the military coup, the Welfare Party (Refah Partisi) was established and in 1984, Mr Erdoğan became the Beyoğlu district chairman of the party.

The following year Mr Erdoğan became the party's Istanbul provincial head and a member of the central executive board.

Ahmet Han, a board member of Turkish think tank Edam, told the Telegraph "[Mr] Erdoğan represented the 'street Islam' (the classical political Islamists of Turkey’s national outlook movement of Necmettin Erbakan)."

But real power came in 1994 when he was elected mayor of Istanbul - the first Islamist in that role. During his time as mayor, even his critics said Mr Erdoğan proved to be a "competent and canny manager" and dealt effectively with environmental problems, making the city "greener".

Being an Islamist in this period was not without issues and in December 1997, Mr Erdoğan found himself sentenced to 10 months in jail for inciting religious hatred when he read a poem in the eastern Turkish city of Siirt with the following lines:

The mosques are our barracks, The domes our helmets, The minarets our bayonets, and the faithful our soldiers...

He read the poem by Ottoman Islamist poet Ziya Gőkalp - which judges felt went against Kemalist - secularist - principles - during a demonstration against the decision by the Turkish constitutional court to shut down the Welfare Party. The court said the party was banned "on the grounds of threatening the Kemalist nature of Turkey, especially secularity".

The president, who had to resign as mayor when sentenced, served his time in prison between March and July in 1999.

From prison to prime minister to president

In 2001, Mr Erdoğan founded - with friends including former Turkish president Abdullah Gul - the Justice and Development Party (known by its Turkish initials, AKP).

In November 2002, the party became Turkey's largest with 34.3 per cent of the vote but Mr Erdoğan could not participate because of his criminal conviction.

By March 2003, AKP used their success to amend the constitution and in the home city of his wife, Siirt, he ran in a by-election and subsequently won.

Now AKP and the president seek to change the constitution to give the latter greater powers and create an executive presidency, for which the party needs a majority in this June's elections.

The life and career of Recep Tayyip Erdogan

From selling sesame rings to playing football semi-professionally, to imprisonment and now the Turkish presidency, Mr Erdogan's life has not been without interesting moments

February 26, 1954

Recep Tayyip Erdogan is born

Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on born on February 26, 1954 in Kasimpasa to Ahmet and Tenzile Erdogan.

1969

He gets involved in amateur league football

He starts his football career in the amateur league. He even reportedly has a chance to transfer to Fenerbahce, but his father apparently said he should not.

1973

He finishes secondary school

Mr Erdogan graduates from Istanbul Imam Hatip school (a religious vocational high school). He also gets a diploma from Eyüp secondary school

1978

He gets married

The president with his wife Emine (AP)

He marries Emine Gulbaran with whom he later has two daughters, Esra and Sümeyye; and two sons, Necmettin Bilal and Ahmet Burak.

1984 to 1985

His political career is on the up

In 1984, the 30-year-old is made Beyoglu district head of the Welfare Party and the following year, he becomes a member of the party's central executive board and Istanbul provincial head for the party.

1988

His father dies

Ahmet Erdogan, a former ship captain who also worked for the coastguard in the Turkish north-eastern town of Rize, dies.

March 1994

Istanbul mayor

Mr Erdogan becomes the first Islamist politician to be mayor of Istanbul. His critics and supporters said his time as mayor was productive, making the city "greener".

December 1997

He is arrested

The Welfare Party is shut down and during a speech rallying against the constitutional court's decision, Mr Erdogan reads an Islamist poem. He is subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison. He serves four but has to resign as mayor.

August 2001

AKP is born

With friends including Abdullah Gul, he founds the Justice and Development Party.

November 2002

AKP wins

The party becomes the largest party in Turkey for the first time in the general election. A legal obstacle means Mr Erdogan cannot take part in the election.

March 2003

Mr Erdogan becomes prime minister

He becomes prime minister after entering a by-election thanks to AKP's removal of the legal obstacle. He serves as prime minister for 11 years until August 2014.

2011

He has surgery

Despite rumours of cancer, the then-prime minister really does have routine surgery on a digestive tract. Later that year in October, his mother, Tenzile, dies.

August 2014

He becomes Turkey's president

Turkey's new president depicted as cartoon hero

With more than 51 per cent of the vote, Mr Erdogan becomes Turkey's first elected president.